Curable filled cycloaliphatic epoxy resin mixtures



United States Patent US. Cl. 260 -37 a a 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cura-ble resin mixtures which contain as the resin component either a cycloaliphatic epoxyresin and a curing agent for epoxy resins or a pre-condensate from such an epoxy resin and a curing agent, as well as fillers, characterized in that the fillerconsists at least partially of a nitrogenous compound from the groups of the triazine derivatives, urea, guanidine and derivatives thereof, the said nitrogenous compound having a molecular weight not exceeding 1000, having a melting point over 120 C. and not being appreciably soluble in theresin component at 120 C., and: the said nitrogenous compound being present in the mixture in an amount of at least 40 parts 4 It is -knowntt6 use fillers in castings from 'casting resin,

whereby in many cases the properties of the casting are significantlychanged. Thus, it is possible'touimprove the mechanical properties and,'for example, enhance the heat distortion characteristics according to Martens; and quite generally to reduce the cost of the casting" resin composition. Other not inconsiderable advantages are the dimirb ished shrinkage experienced, in curing the, casting resin composition and theless pronounced exothermic reaction. However, most? of the known fillers have distinct disadvantages. For'example, the abrasive effect associated with the inorganic fillers most frequently used by industry and the p increase in the specific gravity of the castings are disadvantageous. Above all, the use of resins extended by means of fillers in the; electrical industry limited by their unsatisfactory stability towards leakage currents and electric arcs, as well as 'by the generallyvery substantial increase in the dielectric losses. The use of,-for example quartz meal, as filler causes a distinct impairment of the good electrical properties of epoxy casting resins.

. .To overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages it has already been proposed to, use as fillers for epoxy resins alumina trihydrate, alkaline earth metal carbonates (German Patent 1,189,277 of lune 7, 1962, to Licentia-Patent- Verwaltungs. G.rn.b.H., Frankfurtyalkaline earth metal sulphates (Erench Patent 1,267,518of Sept. 14, 1960, to Siemens-Schuckertwerke Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin & Erl angen) or-alkaline earth metal oxalates (German Patent 1,129,694 of Aug.'17, 1960,40 Siemens-Schuckertwerke Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin & Erlangen). While this'expedient makes accessible castings that arestable towards leakage currents and insome cases'also to electric arcs, the dielectric loss angle tg8 is notreduced. On the contrary, this angle is greater than with unfilled casting resin compositions or, for an equal lossfactor, the electric are resistance is insufiicient, as is the-case with ground chalk.

The said fillers based on oxalates are, moreover, thermally I 3,470,129 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 objectionable because such compounds may decompose at relatively low temperatures. There are also known electrical insulators having a protective coating from material that is stable towards leakage current; with such corn ponents there is however a considerable risk of the mechanical or chemical bond between coating and base being insufficient, which may cause an increased risk of electric breakdowns. Finally German Patent 1,137,209 of Aug. 19, 1960, to Norddeutsche Kabelwerke Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin-Neukolln has disclosed a process for the manufacture of castings by hot-curing casting compositions filled with polyethylene or polypropylene. However, when polyethylene or polypropylene are used as fillers there are obtained castings that do not possess satisfactory mechanical properties and are not sufficiently stable towards electric arcs.

When the resin component used is a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin, the above-mentioned disadvantages can be completely or at least substantially overcome and a particularly good are stability and a low dielectric loss can be achieved by using as fillers certain triazine derivatives, urea, guanidine or derivatives thereof having a molecular weight not exceeding 1000, a melting point above 120 0., and not being appreciably soluble in the resin component at 120", this filler being used in an amount of at least 40 parts by weight per parts by weight of epoxy'resin. Particularly suitable as such fillers are melamine, cyanuric acid and dicyandiamide.

Compared with polyethylene and polypropylene the castings containing fillers of this invention display a distinctly improved behaviour towards the electric arc and possess better mechanical properties.

It is another advantage of the nitrogenous filler of this invention that even a relatively small addition thereof to electrically less suitable fillers, such as quartz meal, pro duces a substantial improvement.

It is in fact already known from German Patent 947,632 of Dec. 29, 1 948, to CIBA Aktiengesellschaft Basel, and from Swiss Patent 257,115 of Aug. 8, 1946, to CIBA Aktiengesellschaft, Basel,-to use as curing agents for epoxy resins (prepared by reacting bisphenol A with epichlorohydrin) triazine derivatives, such as melamine or cyanuric acid or dicyandiamide respectively. In this known use as curing agent there are employedv per 100 parts by weight of epoxy resins 10 to at most 35 parts by weight of melamine and/or cyanuric acid or 2 to at most 20 parts by weight of dicyandiamide respectively, substantially all of the triazine derivatives or of the dicyandiamide reacting with the epoxy .resin during curing, and nothing of the unreacted filler remaining in the cured product.

Furthermore, in German Auslegeschrift No. 1,115,921 of Aug. 26, 1959 to Licentia-Patent Verwaltungs G.m.b.H., Frankfurt it has been proposed to add to a casting resin mixture containing a triazine epoxy resin, an amine curing agent and an aliphatic diglycidyl ether, as a gas donor having a flame-inhibiting action up to 50% of melamine, referred to the weight of thewhole resin. This previous ublication did not reveal the disclosure of the present invention to the effect that by adding as filler melamine or another triazine derivative the. dielectric losses of cured cycloaliphatic epoxy resins can surprisingly be lowered very substantially, the aminotriazinebe'ing advantageously used in a porportion of over '50 up to 400. parts by weight for every 100 parts by weight of cyclo-1 aliphatic epoxy resin. j,

Accordingly, the present invention provides curable resin mixtures in which the resin component is either a cycloaliphatic epoxy resini and a curing agent for epoxy resins or a pre-condensate from such an epoxy resin and a curing agent, containing as well fillers, characterized in that the filler consists at least partially of a nitrogenous compound from the groups of the triazine derivatives, urea, guanidine and derivatives thereof, the said nitrogenous compound having a molecular weight not exceeding 1000, having a melting point over 120 C. and not being appreciably soluble in the resin component at 120 C., and the said nitrogenous compound being present in the mixture in an amount of at least 40 parts by weight, preferably of over 50 up to 400 parts by weight, for every 100 parts by weight of cycloaliphatic epoxy resin.

The term curing as used in this context indicates the conversion of the above-mentioned resin systems into insoluble "and infusible cross-linked products, in general with simultaneous shaping to furnish shaped products, such as castings, mouldings or laminates, or flat structures, such as lacquer films or cemented products.

Triazine derivatives suitable for use as fillers according to this invention are, for example, ammeline, ammelide, melam, formoguanamine, acetoguanamine, benzoguanamine, mono-alkyl-melamines, N-phenylmelamine, N-phenylmelamine, mono-, di-, tri-, tetr-a-, pentaand hexa-methylmelamines, tetrahydrobenzoguanamine, hexahydrobenzoguanamine and especially cyanuric acid and melamine.

Apart from urea and guanidine itself there may be used as fillers also their salts, for example guanidine carbonate. Good results are obtained especially with derivatives of guanidine, and among them above all with dicyandiamide l-cyanoguanidiue) Suitable cycloaliphatic epoxy resins are cycloaliphatic polyepoxy compounds with terminal or inner 1,2-epoxide groups. Particularly suitable terminal 1,2-epoxide groups are 1,2-epoxyethyl or 1,2-epoxypropyl groups. Preferably,

there are used 1,2-epoxypropyl groups linked with an oxygen atom, that is to say glycidyl ether or glycidyl ester groups.

As examples of cycloaliphatic polyepoxides containing only terminal 1,2-cpxide groups there may be mentioned the compounds of the following formulae:

CHr-O-CHz-C H-CH:

GHa-O--CH:-CHCH2 Compounds with inner epoxide groups contain at least one 1,2-epoxide group in an aliphatic chain or on a cycloaliphatic ring.

Particularly good results are obtained by using cycloaliphaticepoxy resins that contain at least one inner 1,2-epoxide group attached to a cycloaliphatic ring. As examples there may be mentioned epoxidized cyclic dienes such as l,2,4,5-diepoxycyclohexane, dicyclopentadiene diepoxide, limonen diepoxide and vinylcyclohexene diepoxide, also cycloaliphatic epoxy ethers, epoxy esters and epoxy acetals containing at least one cycloaliphatic 5- or 6-membered ring to which at least one 1,2-epoxide group is attached, such, for example as the compounds of the following formulae:

CFO

o-o-omoHr-o-o 0 l o Finally, there are also suitable polymers or telomers containing epoxide groups obtained by polymerization or telomerization respectively of ethylenically unsaturated monoepoxides of the cycloaliphatic series, such as 3,4- epoxycyclohexane-1,1-dimethanol acroleinacetal, 3,4- epoxytetrahydro-dicyclopentadienyl-B-allyl ether or 3-vinyl-2,4dioxospiro-(5.5)-9,10-epoxy-undecane, in the presence of a free radical-forming polymerization catalyst, such as an organic peroxide, and in the given case, of telogens, such as ketones.

There may also be used mixtures of two or more of the cycloaliphatic epoxy resins listed above.

For the curable epoxy resin systems there may be used in principle any known type of curing agent, for example aliphatic, and aromatic primary and secondary tertiary amines, for instance para-phenylenediamine, bis(paraaminophenyl)methane, ethylenediamine, N,N-diethylethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, tetra(hydroxyethyl)diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, N,N-dimethylpropylenediamine; Mannichs bases such as tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol; polyamides, for example those from aliphatic polyamines and dimerized or trimerized unsaturated fatty acids; polyhydric phenols, for example resorcinol, bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)dimethylmethane, phenolformaldehyde resins, reaction products of aluminium alcoholates or phenolates with compounds or tautomeric reaction of the acetoacetic acid ester type, Friedel-Crafts catalysts, for example AlC1 SbCl SnCl ZnCl BE; and their complexes with organic compounds, for example BF -amine complexes, metal fluoborates such as zinc fluoborate; phosphoric acid; boroxines such as trimethoxyboroxine.

Preferred curing agents are polybasic carboxylic acids and their anhydrides, for example phthalic anhydride, tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexahydrophthalic anhydride, methyl-hexahydrophthalic anhydride, endomethylene-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, methyl-endomethylenetetrahydrophthalic anhydride (=methyl nadic anhydride), hexachloro-endomethylene-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, succinic anhydride, adipic anhydride, maleic anhydride, allylsuccinic anhydride, dodecenylsuccinic anhydride; 7- allylbicyclo( 2.2.1 )-hept-5-ene-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride, ,pyromellitic dianhydride or mixtures of such anhydrides.

If desired, there may be additionally used an accelerator, such as a tertiary amine or a salt or quaternary ammonium compound thereof, for example tris(dimethylarninomethyl)phenol, benzyldimethylamine or benzyl dimethyl ammonium phenolate, tin(II)sa1ts of carboxylic acids such as tin(Il)oetoate or alkali metal alcoholates, for example sodium hexylate.

Instead of such epoxy resin-i-curing agent systems there may also be used still soluble and fusible, so-called B- stages obtained by pre-condensing a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin with a suitable curing agent, for example a dicarboxylic anhydride, such as phthalic anhydride.

The curable systems based on cycloaliphatic epoxy resins may further contain suitable plasticizers such as dibutylphthalate, dioctylphthalate or tricresylphosphate, in-

ert diluents or so-called active diluents, especially aliphatic or cycloaliphatic monoepoxides, for example butylglycide, cresylglycide, vinylcyclohexene monoxide, 3,4-epoxy-tetrahydrodicyclopentadienol 8, 3,4 epoxyhexahydrobenzalglycerol or 3,4-epoxycyclohexane-l,l-dimethanol-acroleinacetal.

It is, of course, also possible to incorporate with the curable resin systems to be used according to this inven plasts the curable resin mixtures of this invention may contain other known fillers and/ or reinforcing agents, for example glass fibres, mica, quartz meal, cellulose, kaolin, ground dolomite, colloidal silica having a large specific surface (Aerosil) or metal powders such as aluminium powder.

The resin mixtures filled according to this invention are mainly used in the casting resin sector. The resulting castings may be used in a wide variety of structural elements especially in the electrical industry, especially for instance as high-voltage insulation support, pin-type and suspension insulators (also on overhead lines), and for insulating components in electrical switchgear such as load shedding switches and quenching chambers, also for grummets and in the construction of voltage and current transformers. The curable resin mixtures are, however, also very suitable for use in other sectors, for instance as laminating resins, bonding agents, moulding compositions, sinter powders, coating compositions, sealing compounds, putties, impregnating and dipping resins.

Unless otherwise indicated, parts and percentages in the following examples are by weight. The relationship, between part by volume and part by weight is the same as that between the millilitre and the gram.

EXAMPLE 1 12 parts each of a sodium alcoholate obtained by dissolving 0.82 part of sodium metal at 120 C. in 100 parts of 2,4-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethylpentane are dissolved for tests 1 to 7 in 100 parts each of the cycloaliphatic polyepoxy resin (epoxy resin A) of the formula which contains 6.3 epoxide equivalents per kg. The mixtures are heated to C. and parts each of the curing agent hexahydrophthalic anhydride are fused in. Test specimen 1 contains no filler, whereas specimens 2 to 7 comprise the amounts of fillers shown in the following table. Quartzmehl K8 is the trade name of a commercial silica. To determine the properties listed in this table the specimens are poured at 80 C. into aluminium moulds (40 x 10 x 140 mm.; 130 x 130 x 2 mm.; 130 x 130 x 4 mm.) and all are gelled for 4 hours at 80? C. and then cured for 12 hours at 120 C.

The more favourable behaviour of. the cured specimens 4 to 7 of this invention compared with the cured specimens containing known inorganic fillers (specimens 2.and 3) is readily seen, since the dielectric losses of the cured specimens of this invention are much lower even at elevated temperatures.

Specimen Epoxy resin A Hexahydrophthalic anhydride Sodium alcoholate Melamine Formog'uanamin Cyanuric acid Dielectric loss factor tga VDE 0303 (50 c.p.s.) in percent 0 C Arc resistance DIN 53484 (stage) Heat distortion point accdg. to Marten DIN 53458, in C EXAMPLE 2 45 parts each of the curing agent phthalic anhydride are fused at C. into 100 parts each of the epoxy resin A described in Example 1. In addition, in tests 2 to 4 75 290 parts of Quartzmehl K8, respectively 290 parts of alumina hydrate, respectively 180 parts of cyanuric acid are admixed as filler. Curing is again performed in aluminium moulds for 4 hours at 120 C. and then for 14 hours at 140 C. The test values shown in the following table clearly prove the superiority of the cured specimen 8 EXAMPLE In 100 parts each of a polyglycidyl ester resin liquid at room temperature (viscosity 600 centipoises at 25 C.; containing 6.3 epoxide equivalents per kg.; obtained by 4 according to this invention 5 reacting epichlorohydrin with hexahydrophthalic acid in the presence of a quaternary ammonium salt, followed Specimen 1 2 3 4 by dehydrohalogenation by means of sodium hydroxide Epoxy 155mg 100 100 100 100 solution) there are incorporated at 120 C. 77 parts of g g ggi g 45 33 45 45 the curing agent phthalic anhydride and then there are Al umina trihydrate- "5551:1313: added in test 1 300 parts of Quartzmehl K8 and in test fi i g? "":-"a-"t 2 150 parts of cyanuric acid. The casting resin mixtures a 353F 12 152 173 73 206 thus obtained are then poured into the aluminium moulds nie l ectriclosstactor i s; VDE 080 described above and cured for 4 hours at 120 C. and

( 2$ 1.1 2.8 2.8 0,3 15 then for 24 hours at 140 C.

2;? 8-; Both specimens possess good mechanical properties and Me 'iiiii'ii' gigggi'jjjjjjI L L1 "'iji' 1 the specimen 2 according to this invention displays in addition a much lower specific gravity and substantially EXAMPLE 3 lower dielectric losses at room temperature (tge at 52 parts each of phthalic anhydride as curing agent are 20 accofdlllg t0 VDE 0303! 02% p ed with 2.0%)- fused at 120 C. into 100 parts each of the cycloaliphatic polyepoxy resin (epoxy resin B) of the formula EXAMPLE 5 fi 3 When in the process described in Example 5 the hem. CH CH 0 C CH hydrophthalic acid is replaced by tetrahydrophthalic acid, I l I I 25 a polyglycidyl ester resin having a viscosity of 550 centipoises at 25 C. and containing 6.42 epoxide equivalents E 0 per kg. is obtained.

0g, 0 1 The test specimens are prepared as described in Excontaining 7.1 epoxide equivalents per kg., and then the ample 5 with the use of 81 instead of 77 parts of the curamounts of filler shown in the following table are ading agent phthalic anhydride for every 100 parts of the mixed. The specimens are poured into aluminium moulds polyglycidyl ester resin. Again, the specimen of this inat 120 C. as described in Example 1 and cured for 4 vention, which contains as filler cyanuric acid, displays hours at 120 C. and then for 14 hours at 140 C. Comat room temperature a considerably improved dielectric pared with the cured specimens containing known fillers loss factor tg6 (0.2 against 1.3% the cured specimens 4 and 5 according to this invention What is claimed is: display in addition to better heat distortion characteristics 1. A curable resin composition adapted for the manuaccording to Martens a better behaviour in the electric facture of structural articles consisting essentially of arc and at the same time much lower dielectric losses. cured resin having incorporated dispersed filler and hav- Bpeeimen 1 2 3 4 5 Epoxy resin B 100 100 100 100 100 Phthalic anhydride 52 52 52 52 52 Quartzmehl K8. 350 Alumina trihydmtn 350 'M'nlnminn 250 cyanuric acid 125 Heat distortion point ncedg. to

Martens DIN 53-158, in c 76 134 152 178 190 Dielectric loss factor tgs VDE 0303 c.p.s.) in percent:

M20 0 1.0 4.1 2.2 0.3 0.4 1.9 0.5 10 0.5 0.5 50 c 1.6 6.5 0.5 0.5 Arc resistance DIN 53484 (stage L1 L1 L4 L4 L4 EXAMPLE 4 inggood mechanical and dielectrical proper-ties, said com- In tests 1 to 5 12 parts each of the sodium aleoholate Posltlon compllslng as the 9 9 compmleflt {member described in Example 1, 100 parts of the epoxy resin B Selected P conslsftlng 0f a 1119mm of and 105 parts of the curing agent hexahydrophthalic ana y l p P Y r65111 f a curing agent hydride are melted together at 80 C. in tests 2 to 5 addifor P Y re$1I1S 1I1 amount Sultable to re fl d cOmtionally the following are stirred in respectively: 400 parts P to all lflfuslble Product, and a $1111 spluble of Quartzmehl K8, 400 parts of alumina trihydrate, 300 and fuslbleprecoqdensate f the sa1d p y m parts of benzoguanamine and 300 parts of melamine. The and the Said 911mg agent Sald 165111 cOIIIPOSIUOII specimens are poured into aluminium moulds and cured P F comprlsmfi as fissentlfll componflflt 8 fi r 09 1- for 4 hours at 80 c. and then for 12 hours at 120" c. swung at least p a y of a mtrosenous compound wh ch Compared with the cured specimens 2 and 3, which cona molecular Weight not Qlceedmg Q a melting tain known inorganic fillers, the cured specimens 4 and 5 point above 120 C. and is substantially insoluble in according to this invention display much lower dielectric the resin COmPOIICHt at Said nitrogenous losses and have moreover, in contrast to specimen 2 filled pound being a member selected from the group consistwith quartz meal, the highest stage 4 of arc resistance. ing of melamine, cyanuric acid, formoguanamine, aceto- Rponiman 1 2 3 -4 5 Epoxy resin B 100 100 100 100 Hexahydrophthalie anhydride 105 105 105 105 Sodium alcoholate 12 12 12 12 12 Quartzmehl YR 400 Alumina hydrate- 400 Benzogua 300 Mnlnmina 300 Dielectric loss laetor tgi VDE 0303 (50 cps.) in percent:

0 0.4 2.0 3.2 0.4 0.4 0.4 2.0 13.5 1.5 0.4 L4 L1 L4 L4 L4 guanamine, benzoguanamine, guinidine, guanidine salts, dicyandiamide and urea and the said nitrogenous compound being present in the composition in an amount of at least 40 parts by Weight for every 100 parts by Weight of epoxy resin (a), said filler imparting a high electric arc resistance to the cured composition.

2. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein the nitrogenous compound used as filler is present in an amount of over 50 and up to 400 parts by weight for every 100 parts by weight of epoxy resin (a).

3. A resin composition according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the cycloaliphatic epoxy resin is replaced by another epoxy resin, and the nitrogenous filler is present in an amount of at least 40 parts by Weight for every 100 parts by weight of the total weight of epoxy resins contained in the resin composition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1955 McCullock 252- 63.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 938,479 10/ 1963 Great Britain MORRIS LIEBMAN, Primary Examiner L. T. JACOBS, Assistant Examiner 

